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You must file your claim in the proper Small Claims Court or venue. You must state on your Plaintiff’s Claim and Order to Go to Small
Claims Court (SC-100) why you think you have chosen the correct filing location. If you file your claim in the wrong county or at the
wrong court location in the correct county, the judge may transfer the case to the proper court location or have the case
dismiss without prejudice.
You may then file again in the correct location and pay the filing fee again.

The general rule is that the case must be filed in the county or court location where the defendant lives. There are some exceptions to
the rule that a case must be filed and heard in a court within the county where the defendant lives which are:

If the claim type is:

Claim can be filed in county or court location where:

An automobile accident

Accident occurred

Defendant lives

A contract

Contract was signed

Contract was to be performed by the defendant

You were to be paid

A consumer purchase and you are the seller

Defendant signed the contract

Defendant lived when the contract was signed

Defendant lived when the action was filed

Goods purchased on credit are installed or permanently kept

A consumer purchase and you are the buyer

You signed the contract

You lived when the contract was signed

You lived when the action was filed

The exceptions to the rules on determining where to file can be hard to understand.
The Small Claims Advisor can help you
understand which location is best.